I’ve just seen a charity appeal to rehome abused and beaten animals. Apparently they’re being offered to the Australian Cricket Team – they never beat anyone.

I was heart warmed today when I received a letter from Marcus Trescothick.

Despite only attending one Somerset CC game last season, I have been thanked by the England and Somerset cricket legend for my “tremendous support during 2009”. Isn’t that nice!

Cynics may claim Mr. Trescothick did not personally write to me and, in fact, the letter may as well have come from the club’s mascot, Stumpy the Dragon. What nonsense! Marco obviously noticed the efforts I made to attend the game at The Rec back in May and wanted to thank me himself.

The letter also has nothing to do with an enclosed request for £179, asking me to become a member in 2010.

So, England did it! Andrew Strauss’ men battled hard – through blood, sweat and tears – beating Ricky Ponting’s boys and winning back The Ashes.

We got our urn back!

I feel very privileged to have been able to witness the series, and have been totally gripped today, watching the Aussie wickets fall.

The England trophy cabinet, which was about to be turned into firewood from lack of use, finally has some silverware to display. The little urn of ashes will no doubt take pride of place on the centre shelf – until next summer, at least, when we’ll win the World Cup.

You have to feel sorry for the Aussie’s – what sport can they boast to be champions at now? They no longer have the Ashes. Football they have always failed at. Their rugby success is long gone (not that I care for egg chasing). I guess they can claim to be quite good at Aussie Rules Football.

I must admit, I did enjoy watching ex-Aussie legend, now TV pundit, Shane Warne, struggle to admit England were the better side. I think the best he managed to choke out was “it was an evenly matched contest” – yes, Shane, that’s why we won.

The Aussie’s no doubt feel like their most famous export – crushed

This blog may seem like I am gloating and milking the victory just a little. Perhaps, but how many times do England actually win anything? We’ll probably lose the next Ashes series (to be played in Australia) 5-0. Let’s enjoy it!

IN-GER-LAND
IN-GER-LAND
IN-GER-LAND
etc etc etc…

What a marvellous afternoon of cricket England played today. I must admit, after the previous test ended in humiliation, I thought the series was over, and despite a sufficient first day of the current and final match, I was still unconvinced by England and thought the test and indeed the series would be drawn.

I started to watch the match this morning, but after England lost their remaining two wickets and struggled to get the opening Aussie batsmen out, I went into town to pick up a few things. Then things changed…

Although being away from Sky Sports and FiveLive, I was in constant communication with all the goings-on through my phone, thanks to the ECB Cricket app and Karl from work sending me messages, differing from despair to delight, depending on how well/poorly England were bowling.

I got back to my flat just in time to witness a total collapse of Australian batsmen, at the hands of some superb English bowling. England may have lost a few wickets themselves in their second innings, but it now looks like only a collapse of monumental proportions will stop England winning the test and therefore take back that little urn of ashes they truly deserve and yearn for. Then again, this is England, so I’m not ruling anything out.

IF England are to win the series, I just hope they do it at the weekend, so I have the pleasure of watching it on Sky as opposed to learning of the victory on the BBC website at work.

Fingers crossed this blog hasn’t jinxed the whole thing!